The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1887-12-31
NEW YEARS AMONG THE GREEKS.
Interesting Ceremonies We Arc Not Gen-
eral.y Familiar With.
81 OLIVE HARPER

D1 OLlNE
Christmas is purely religious holiday
among the Greeks, with nsne of that
mirth and jollity observed among most
Christians There is no giving OF pres
ents and no toys or special pleasure for
the children on that day. 1t is regarded
with sentiments of solemn and holy awe,
ard is kept with fasting and church going
and there is no visiting or any other social
meeting permitted, not only among the
native born Greeks and those born in
Constantinople, but also the Russians
and Bulgarians, who are all Greek in re-
ligion.
Epiphany is also solemn religious feast,
or rather ceremony, which in that church
represents the day of the baptism of
Christ, and on this occasion a hogshead of
the holy water is blessed and each family
takes can or bottle full home for future
need. The service keeps up until mid
night, when a powerful light is reflected
IN the church to represent the descent of
the Spirit. Then the worshipers light their
tapers and put them into lanterns and
hasten home, when they find their tables
laden with dried fruits and nuts-nothing
else. Before any one can eat little holy
water is put into each mouth and lamp
is lighted and placed before the pict-
ure or statuette of the Blessed Vir-
gin, which is found in every orthodox
Greek house, and this is kept burning
seven days and nights.
The morning after Epiphany all the
Greeks, Russians and Bulgarians who
can get so far go to a part of the Bos-
phorus where the shores are the nearest
together, at the entrance to the Black
sea, to witness the blessing of the waters.
The current here is very swift and strong,
and is indeed called the DEVILS current,
and into the midst of this current full of
floating ice the priest, after some cere-
mony, throws a silver crucifix. Instantly
dozen or more strong swimmers plunge
after it, for it is great honor to recover
it, and besides the finder has right to
place it on silver salver belonging to the
church and go to every orthodox Greek
and receive a present of money. No Rus
sian or Greek captain will put to sea on
any account between Christmas and
Epiphany; but it is a beautiful sight to
watch the sea of Marmora whiten with
the sails Of the departing craft the day
after Epiphany.
But New Years day among them is OBJ
served as we do Christmas; the children
receive presents, toys, candies and fruit;
the wives receive jewels from their hus-
bands, and invariably a purse of money.
The giving of money to his wife and each
and every child and every servant in a
house is obligatory upon the master, and
he also is obliged to give to the postman
and every other person who serves him in
any capacity. Besides this, custom de-
mands of him that he pay ceremonious
visits to all his lady friends, and to none
of these can he go empty handed When
he is ready to leave he finds the servants
all drawn up in line and to each of them
he must give money. The only consola-
ton he can find is in the fact that his
friends have to visit his wife also and
bear her presents.
At this all day reception the lady or
ladies of house are dressed in their best,
and they offer coffee and sweetmeats to
every guest. There is no wine or strong
drink used.
At night the ceremonious visiting
ceases and families unite, and the young
folks, and old ones, too, join in and play
games and have royal good time. Then
great cake, caKed Vasilopeta, is brought
In and cut into as many pieces as there
are guests. In this cake two pieces of
money are baked, and the young man and
girl who get them are king and queen of
the years feasts, and they receive artifi-
cial flower crowns.
The night before New Years is kept as
watch night, much after our fashion, and
booths are erected in every direction for
the sale of candies, figs, dates, raisins and
cheap toys. Expensive mechanical toys,
such as our children require, are un-
known there, and parents give their chill
dren money according to their means,
which is carefully kept until the child is
grown, so that there is usually quite a
snug little sum.
The women make presents of articles of
their own handiwork, such as silk purses
and tobacco pouches, but rarely anything
expensive. New Years takes the place of
our Christmas, and is day for the women
and children